Tiger Stripes
by MissLinuxthePenguin
Summary: Change is for the better, right? James is starting to change, yet Lily feels sick. Rediscovering advice from years ago, she decides that changes aren't for the best. Afterall, you can't make a tiger change its stripes but you can love it.. Summary Inside


**Tiger Stripes**

MissLinuxthePenguin

**Dedicated: **... a fortune cookie. THANKYOU FORTUNE COOKIE:)

**Summary:** Is Change really a Good thing? James Potter is finally starting to change, but Lily's still not happy. In fact she feels worse than before. Term is over, and Lily is back home for summer. There, in the room where she spent her childhood, she finds advice and comfort. And decides that maybe, just maybe, changes aren't for the best. Afterall, you can't make a tiger change its stripes but you can love it for what it is. Implied LJ, Future LJ, oneshot

* * *

On my eight birthday my great aunt gave me a doll, a book, and some advice. 

_"Lily dear," _she said in that old crackly voice of her's, _"No matter how hard you try, you can't make a tiger change its stripes."_

Being the naive child I was, I took nothing from the comment and enjoyed the doll.

But I never did read that book, and soon, it found its way onto my large dusty bookshelf.

_"To read on a rainy day."_ I told myself, as I placed the book onto the highest self. I was ten then, able to feel guilt and remorse.

But quick enough, the guilt and remorse fluttered away as I buried myself in school work. And finally, as summer came (and a chance to welcome back the guilt) another distraction worked its way into my life.

The owl had scarred the mickey out of me, but I soon enough recovered from the initial shock and was ready to dive into a new world.

It was at Hogwarts I met my best friend. And worst enemy. Ironically, they both entered my life the same way.

_"You have the most beautiful red hair, I wish my was like your's." _I turned to see a pale blonde girl standing behind me.

_"Names Alice."_ She stuck her hand out. I shook it, smiling.

_"And I'm Lily."_

_"Suits you, Red." _ She grinned too, and I realized that it was the start of a beautiful and long friendship.

Later, Alice left to find a group of girls that were "_fine young lasses, if you ask me." _to introduce me to.

_"OY! RED!" _I had turned quickly, expecting to see the friendly face of my dear new friend Alice but I just ended up enveloping myself in a curtain of red. I shifted through the mane I called hair, to find that standing there in front of me was not Alice but James H. Potter - smirking like he owned the place. I was, simply put, annoyed.

Later, as the years pasted my annoyance grew to something deeper. An increased annoyance. It was never a hate, no matter how many times I had told him it was. I only hated three people, and I'll refrain from naming them here.

The years continued to fly by and I found myself back in my pale pink room, bored out of my mind.

It was the summer after sixth year. The year I witnessed the beginnings of the transformation of Potter. He was, honestly, trying to become everything I'd told him to be.

Yet, I felt sick inside.

Yearning for a distraction I looked up into my bookshelf, coughing from the dust. And sure enough, there it was. The book my great aunt had left to me. Instantly her words came back to me.

_"No matter how hard you try, you can't make a tiger change its stripes."_

I sighed, everything nowadays seemed to remind me of Potter. It was rather annoying, since all I was looking for was a distraction.

Yet the book was bore-ing a hole in my head, and I reluctantly removed it from its casting of dust.

Flipping through the book, something caught my eye. It was a hand written note on a torn piece of pink paper.

_"But you can love it for what it is. And anyway, who'd want a stripe-less tiger? Love while you can Lily dear. Don't wait for him to change - accept him for who he is."_

I nearly fainted from shock (of the revelance of the ancient words), but as they sunk in I gained a new found respect for my Great Aunt. And decided that I might just take her advice.

It was about time, afterall.

* * *

A/N: r & r? flame? tell me about your aunts? tell me about your ants? tell me about bugs? tell me about your house? i dunno. Review:) 


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